Assistive listening and emergency communication

An update from Anthony Morgan MInstSCVE, Chair of the ISCVE Standards Committee.

Developments in assistive listening and emergency communication standards are relevant to ISCVE members working in system design, installation and operation. This update highlights a recently published international standard, alongside standards in development and a proposed revision.

Recently published

IEC 63087:2026 — Assistive listening devices and systems for active assisted living

Published on 18 September 2026, IEC 63087:2026 replaces IEC 63087-1:2021 and sets out requirements for the provision of assistive listening systems where they offer a benefit to hearing-aid, cochlear implant and other hearing-device users.

The successful publication of this standard is due, in no small part, to the ISCVE members responsible for its creation and drafting, and to the International members of the drafting committee who provided their invaluable knowledge and expertise.

The standard is written to be ‘technology agnostic’ and sets out the requirements that any type of assistive listening system is to meet if it is to be of benefit to users.

Its scope covers systems used for communication, entertainment and education in public, private, domestic and public transport installations. It also includes personal listening and intelligibility enhancement devices and systems.

For designers, installers and those responsible for accessible audio provision, the standard provides a reference across a wide range of settings and applications.

View the IEC 63087:2026 listing

Standards in development and proposed revisions

Draft BS EN IEC 60118-17 -Electroacoustics -Hearing aids – Part 17: Audio broadcasting systems for hearing aids in the 2,4 GHz band

This draft standard addresses wireless broadcast digital audio transmission systems for hearing aids operating in the 2.4 GHz band, including applications such as Auracast.

The aim is to provide designers, installers and users with a clearer way of assessing how these systems should perform in practice, including the performance of transmitters and receivers and the coverage achieved by an installed system.

The draft should provide a useful basis for assessing these systems as assistive listening solutions. It does not cover the design, set-up or signal conditioning of the audio system before the broadcast transmitter input.

The standard remains in development, and its final requirements may change.

View the BSI development project

BS 10827 — Audio systems for emergency communication

BS 10827 is a new standard being developed to provide guidance and recommendations for those using audio systems as a means of communication during an emergency, including events or incidents covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law), such as lockdown, evacuation and invacuation scenarios.

The intended guidance will cover planning, design, audibility, intelligibility, testing and operation of audio systems for use in buildings, outdoor spaces linked to buildings, permanent and temporary outdoor events and other spaces included within the scope of the Act. In addition, it will offer guidance for those intending to use audio systems for fire emergencies where the audio system is not connected to a fire alarm.

BS 5839-9 — Emergency voice communication systems

BSI has proposed a revision of BS 5839-9, the code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of emergency voice communication systems.

BSI states that the revision will take account of changes to BS 5839-8, the publication of BS 8893:2024 “Emergency voice communication (EVC) systems – Components -Specification”, and relevant changes to legislation, regulation and European standards.

BS 8893 now provides detailed product requirements and test methods for EVC system components, while BS 5839-9 will continue to address system planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance.

Further detail on the proposed changes will become available as the revision progresses.

View the BSI revision proposal